Thursday, March 13, 2014

JIP took an unusual but successful approach on its 2012 EP Sparks Flames And Names by having a different guest vocalist on each of the seven tracks. On the recently released Last Call, the Chicago based trio makes good on its mission to forge a hard-hitting collection of songs that evoke alternative rock bands from the 1990s. Lead vocalist Jim Gwynn is back in the spotlight, and to say he makes the most of this opportunity would be an understatement.

It’s also an album that finds Gwynn and guitarist-vocalist Spencer Watson cutting loose on their guitars while Mike Charbonneau pounds away on the drums. Producer Andy Gerber doubles as a bass player and JIP once again gets some first-rate help from its musical guests. Stubhy Pandav from Lucky Boys Confusion provides vocals for the hard rock romance of “Power Lines,” and Joanna Stanielun, who was one of the guest vocalists on Sparks, duets with Gwynn on “Shuddering,” a swaggering look at the addictive power of love.

The title track definitely taps into vintage grunge, while “Hard Rock Soul,” with its staggered guitars and snarling vocals, and “Our City By The Lake” have more of a classic rock feel. The slow and slinky “Real Good Time” showcases Charbonneau on drums, and Gwynn and Watson’s rampage through “Still With Me” comes close to speed metal. Whatever the approach, each of these tracks has a strong melody. “Unknowns,” which provides a more peaceful acoustic ambience after the dozen energetic tracks that precede it, features Gwynn, Watson, and Charbonneau creating some impressive harmonies.

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About This Blog

Broken Hearted Toy is an eclectic celebration of creativity, with over 2,000 posts since 2009.

It's based in Chicago but covers power pop, garage, cutting-edge, and 1960s rock from around the globe; along with occasional bits on art; literature; and theatre.

Top of the hill is a nice place to be at. - - - "Elevated Observations" by The Hollies.

Check out some of my previoius creative endeavors.

Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff was a weekly Internet show created by and starring Jeff Kelley. It mostly consisted of comedy bits and obscure 1960s garage rock set to vintage TV and film clips but also spotlighted entertainment events around Illinois.

My wife Pam and I created a handful of series (each episode was about two minutes long) that were shown on Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff. They included Manchester Gallery (see description below); Old Days, which I hosted in the persona of a cranky old man named Fritz Willoughby; Roving Reporter, where I played the clueless title character; What's With Terry?, a performance arts program; and Hanging With The Hollies, a takeoff on Breakfast With The Beatles.

I've also worked with Kelley and Willy Deal on comedy clips, and with Kelley and David Metzger on films for the annual Nightmare on Chicago Street Halloween festival in Elgin.

I'm particularly proud of this 21-episode comedy series Pam and I created for Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff. Each installment was a few minutes long, and featured me portraying Terrence, the curator of a pop culture museum.

I was a staff writer for this Chicago-based magazine from 1987 to 2015. The Illinois Entertainer has been covering rock music for over 40 years, and can be found in stores and entertainment venues, as well as in an online edition.

Chicago Art Machine was a web-based publishing company run by Editor-in-Chief, Kathryn Born, and Managing Editor, Robin Dluzen, that included Chicago Art Magazine, Chicago DIY Film,Chicago Performance And Trailers, and TINC. Most of my submissions appeared in Chicago DIY Film and Chicago Performance And Trailers, although I contributed to all the online Chicago Art Machine publications.

I was a writer and performer with this local comedy group from 1989 to 2009. Famous In The Future continues to perform in the Chicago area, and appeared at every one of the Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sinstheatre festivals that were held at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre. Since the closing of the Mary-Arrchie Theatre a few years ago, Famous In The Future has carried on the tradition by presenting Yippie Fest each year in August.

I'm an active member of SCBWI, (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and have written two Middle Grade fantasy novels. I've just finished a YA/paranormal novel, and also wrote a suspense/satiric novel that takes place amidst Chicago's alternative music scene in the mid-1980s.

Broken Hearted Toy

The blog title comes from the line, "I'm the brokenhearted toy you play with" in the song "I Can't Let Go" by The Hollies. One of the great original British Invasion bands, The Hollies continue to have an immense influence on power pop bands to this day, and have finally been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here is a video of "I Can't Let Go" being performed in 1966.